


Shackled

by orphan_account



Category: Zootopia (2016)
Genre: Additional Tags to Be Added, Betrayal, F/M, Innocence, Missing Mammal Mutilations, Shock Collars
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-05-12
Updated: 2017-05-12
Packaged: 2018-10-30 14:45:41
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,823
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10878990
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: 10 years ago, the city of Zootopia was rocked to its core by several vicious attacks, the victims disappearing 5 days before their corpse would show up.10 years ago, the last victim went missing just before the culprit had been apprehended. Overnight, the attitude in Zootopia changed for the worse...10 years later, the final victim is discovered, and once more the city will be rocked to its foundations...





	Shackled

Chains clinked together softly as the hunched figure shuffled down the corridor, flanked by a pair of rhino. The faded orange jumpsuit had been torn and patched dozens of times, some dark brown stains here and there that would never come out. A thick, steel muzzle kept his jaw clamped shut, biting in deep as it was secured with more force than was necessary. Bound to wrists, feet and throat, he was apparently moving too slowly for one of his guards liking, a heavy baton poked against his back, hard, causing him to almost stumble.

"So this is the infamous Mutilator, huh"

The older of the two snorted, glancing at his new partner.

"Yeah... Sick bastard tore apart a couple of mammals back in the day... we're lucky he was caught when he was."

The figure inhaled sharply at this before sagging further, ears tilting backwards. Another shove kept him moving.

Around his neck a steady emerald green light shone, never wavering no matter how hard the younger guard poked him. 

"Holy shit. I heard the rumours, but I didn't think they were true."

The older guard smirked and pulled something from his hip holster, aiming it at the prisoner. Instantly he wrapped the slack chain around his wrists and curled his tongue inside his muzzle, knowledge borne of years of experience.

"Yeah, he can somehow keep it from shocking him... we 'test' it regularly though..."

The small remote looked far too innocent for a black rod with a bright red button on top. With an air of glee, the guard depressed the shiny trigger, sniggering as the light switched from emerald to ruby and the figure started to convulse on the spot, eyes clenched tightly shut and teeth gritting. The rhino held it down for several drawn out seconds before releasing it, snorting loudly as the prisoner only panted slightly, barely swaying.

"Looks like it needs a new charge... or higher voltage."

Securing the remote, he shoved the recovering mammal firmly, near growling.

"Alright, hurry up... you've got an important visitor..."

\-------------------------

"I don't know what you expect to learn. He hasn't said a word since he came here."

While the prisoner was shoved into the meeting room hard enough to stumble against the table, a small shape turned from the one way glass, scowling up at the large hippo beside her, blatantly disregarding his statement.

"Is that really necessary? And for the love of gods, get that muzzle and chains off him."

She ignored to urge to fold her arms and glare as the warden knelt like he was talking to a child, recognising the condescending tone in his voice.

"Can't allow that ma'am, you don't know what he-"

With a blur of movement the Hippo found himself pulled down further than he'd like, a pair of stormy violet eyes drilling into his own, neck tie suddenly a lot tighter around his throat.

"I know him a damn sight more than you. Remove them. Now."

Someone so small shouldn't be strong enough to shove aside a hippo, but she managed it, the warden struggling to regain his balance before grudgingly adjusting his tie, muttering an order through his walkie. He waited several minutes after she left the room to mutter darkly about psychopathic bunnies, pulling a hip flask from his pocket.

Inside the interview/interrogation room, the russet mammal hung his head, thoughts of what could await him. The Warden was as crooked as they came, and it wasn't the first time one of the city's elite paid him under the table for some good old fashioned Pred Beating. The last one, a zebra, near cracked a rib with his departing kick.

He rubbed his wrists awkwardly, feeling where the metal bit into flesh. On the other hand, none of them had requested his restraints removed. Maybe this was some official government business.

Maybe they finally decided to reinstate the death penalty. No Prey nor Pred would object on his behalf after all.

His eyes traced the marks on the carpet tiles beneath the table when the door slid open. Nostrils twitched as a horribly familiar scent drifted over them. Ears twitching to match the swift tempo of footsteps.

A folder was tossed up to land heavily on the table as the chair opposite him was pulled back. His eyes firmly followed a seam rather than look up. It couldn't be. It shouldn't be, if Karma had any mercy.

"Nick..."

He couldn't refuse the siren call of that one word, hating himself for lifting his head. Fury burned through his veins as the one being in this world he once considered his goddess settled into the chair, hands resting on top of the folder.

The years had been good to her he noticed. A badge hung from her shirt pocket, "Lieutenant" gleaming faintly. Looked a little smudged, must not have polished it for a few days. Her holster lay open and empty by her hip, save for the mandatory remote all officials were to carry. 

Her eyes though... They hadn't changed one bit.

"Nick, can you... Can you hear me?"

If it wouldn't set off his collar, he would have growled, instead settling for grinding his teeth. Where does she get off, using his name so... brazenly?

Shaking her head, she opened up the folder and turned It round, a photo of a ram along with some official looking documents being slid under his gaze.

"Tony Bellwether... The last, unfound, missing mammal... until now."

He glanced down at the photo of the ram taken days before his vanishing act, at a Pred Equality parade, banner in hands. Good kid. Young, idealistic. The rabbit brought her hands together, resting chin on them, waiting for any kind of reply, r even change in expression before continuing.

"Mr Bellwether's body was discovered two days ago and, with some assistance from the Natural History museum, we've found some... inconsistencies."

She sighed, pulling her ears down behind her head before releasing them.

"Or, should I say... Rather too coincidental consistencies. Method of death, body being moved, and then..."

She fell silent, watching the Nick's eyes. The once emerald glow was as dead as fresh cut grass. Looking through everything as opposed to at them. Several small scars marred his exposed arms, and it didn't take a cop to recognise dried blood stains. His fur was bare in patches including, and here she swallowed hard, faint signs of burning around his throat.

"Gods Nick, what have they done to you..."

"...ster... ile..."

\-------------------

The watching guards and wardens blinked, leaning forward along with the rabbit. The first voluntary sounds to pass through the fox's lips for a decade were hardly a mumble, tongue slipping out to wet dry lips...

\-------------------

"Mister... Wilde."

"Nick?"

The rabbit pulled back, inhaling sharply. Gone were the dead eyes. These ones burned with a venom that stole the air from her lungs, the fox straightening up, glaring at the rabbit before him

"My name... is Mister... Wilde. Only... those I trust... Call me Nick."

He gave a mirthless laugh and slumped back in his chair.

"Or those that... trust me... either way... slim pickings..."

The lieutenant sighed softly, lowering her head before shaking it. She had a job to do, but now she regrets the cheif's offer to let someone else deal with this. Reaching out, she turned a few sheets in the folder, photographs of evidence found alongside notes of jargon.

"We found some of your belongings Ni-... Mister Wilde. Including..."

A photo was pulled from behind the others, laid out in front of him. His chest ached as he figured out what he was seeing, letting out a slow, mournful whine. A red handkerchief tied around the skeletal remains of the ram, stained, faded and torn, but still oh so recognisable. The officer hesitated before slowly reaching out for his hand, trying not to look hurt as he yanked away from her touch as though burnt. Clearing her throat, she continued.

"This last kill was sloppy... the obvious planting of evidence aside... the killer forgot to clear out the victim's pockets..."

Another photo, a digitally reconstructed scrap of paper. A popular cinema's ticket. And in the corner, a date.

"This was inside the victim's pocket. No way for it to have been added later, considering how they disposed of the body. It's dated two days after... after your arrest."

His face twisted, looking up and staring into her face properly for the first time.

"You mean after... you shot me in the back. Literally."

He snorted with disgust and leaned back.

"Docs say I'll never regrow... the fur there. That the charge was... set for an elephant."

Her nose twitched and swiftly she reached out to grab the folder, starting to mumble about hearings and release dates, freezing as he continued to speak.

"Did you keep it? You know, fox-made stuff is so rare now... No, you got rid of it as soon as possible, along with the name...  _Lieutenant Hopps_... I bet some Prey jewellers pulled it apart for the stones and metal..."

She slowly pulled the folder towards herself, securing the documents back into place. He didn't know, she kept telling herself. And if she had her way, he never would. He called out her name as she turned to leave, and reluctantly she turned.

She owed him a decade. A few seconds was nothing.

"Did you ever doubt? Or did you believe I did it... would do something like that..."

He half rose from his chair, his collar starting to flicker barely from green to amber and back.

"Did you think I was a murderer?"

She couldn't meet his gaze, answering by ignoring his question, giving him an estimated release date before almost punching the call button for the guard to let her out.

Inside the interrogation room, Nick Wilde's body slumped down, eyes closed. He barely reacted when one of the rhinos from earlier, looking uncomfortable, cleared his throat and quietly asked for his wrists.

Outside, Judy Hopps's body ran on autopilot until she crawled into her car, tinted windows hiding her from the outside world. Her hands rested upon her slim stomach and a strangled sob burst out of her...

\----------------

"Ma'am... it's been found. Lieutenant Hopps is investigating."

The window looked over the greatest portion of the city. Nearly the entirety of Zootopia within sight. Before it stood a short, fleece covered woman, hands clasped behind her back, half turning her head towards her subordinate and confidant. In his hands lay a copy of the same report Judy had, stamped with a bright red URGENT on the front.

"So... Dear Brother's body at last... Thank you Doug. Please take care of any urgent business tomorrow, I assume I'll have to look suitably devestated when they tell me..."

The thick fleeced ram nodded and backed out of the mayoral office, closing the doors behind him with a soft click.


End file.
